Page 49 of The Romance Library

‘Okey-dokey!’ Glenda replied. ‘Oh, by the way, I bumped into Edwin earlier and he said he was sorry to have missed you at Dreamland yesterday, but he’ll pop round for breakfast around nine thirty for a chat.’

Good God. What would it take for this man to leave us alone?

‘Great!’ Jessica beamed.

The thought of having to endure more happy talk with Edwin and spending more time with Jessica was suffocating. I had to get to my room.

I strode towards the stairs just as Jessica did and we collided.

As her shoulder hit my chest, I heard her gasp.

‘Sorry,’ I said quickly, expecting her to recoil in horror, then scrub her shoulder to rid her skin of my sweat.

But she didn’t.

Instead, Jessica looked up at me, eyes wide, and bit her lip again.

Before I had a chance to stop myself, my eyes had dropped to her chest, taking in the sight of the beautiful curve of her breasts and her rock-hard nipples, which were straining against her top.

My cock thickened in response and I knew I needed to get to my room.

Fast.

Without saying another word, I marched up the stairs, two steps at a time, pulled out my key, opened the door and closed it firmly behind me.

Going for a run was supposed to help control my mind and my growing attraction to Jessica, but after seeing her this morning, my feelings had only intensified.

And now Edwin wanted to have a chat with us. Together.

It wasn’t even eight a.m. yet, but I already knew that today was going to be a difficult one.

15

Jess

As I climbed up the stairs, I wished the ground would swallow me whole.

Just as I’d managed to get my hormones under control, I had to bump into him.

When I heard his alarm go off at the crack of dawn, I assumed he was going to London for the day, so I thought the coast would be clear.

I hoped I’d have a whole Theo-free twenty-four hours where I wouldn’t have to use valuable energy trying not to stare at his annoyingly perfect face, avoiding his hypnotic eyes or replaying the sensation of how it felt when he held my hand.

After that roller-coaster nightmare, we’d got something to eat, then spent the rest of the time there going on much tamer rides.

By the time we got on the coach I was shattered, so fell asleep, which wasn’t a bad thing because it meant I avoided any awkward conversations or emails that might get me even deeper into this mess than I already was.

Luckily, we’d walked back to the B&B with a few of the other residents who lived nearby, so we weren’t left alone. Once we were inside, we went to our separate rooms and that was that.

I wish I could say that I went straight to bed and didn’t give him another thought, but I’d be lying. It felt like I did nothing but think about Theo. I was even tempted to take out Mrs Davis’s Kindle, which Glenda said had been delivered earlier, and start reading to distract myself. But I didn’t. Thinking about reading again was still too hard.

Eventually I’d gone to sleep, and it was only when Theo’s alarm went off that I stirred. It took me another forty-five minutes to drag myself to the toilet, then trek downstairs for a glass of water.

Which of course was when I ran into Theo’s delicious chest. Glenda was right. Hot and sexy was definitely how I’d describe it. But I was only supposed to think that, not say it out loud. How embarrassing.

And if I knew I was going to see him, I would’ve worn something more adult than my pink unicorn vest and shorts. They were another charity shop bargain and super comfortable.

Because I had no intention of dating ever again, when I bought it, I told myself that what I wore to bed didn’t matter. It still shouldn’t. I shouldn’t give a toss what Theo thought of my outfit. But for some weird reason, I did.

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